In the first experiments funded under this research program, we found that provision of contingent rewards increased children's acceptance of two preventive dental activities. In a third experiment, 501 seventh graders were asked to use an acidulated phosphate fluoride mouthrinse daily for 20 weeks at home, the same program used in the second experiment. Urban and suburban students were assigned to one of four persuasive conditions: (1) contingent rewards alone (CR); (2) CR and postcard reminders; (3) CR and action instuctions; (4) CR and postcard reminders and action instructions. Initial analyses indicate that action instructions increased the efficacy of contingent rewards for urban children, but either decreased or had no effect for suburban children. A fourth experiment is underway in which 836 urban and suburban seventh graders were again asked to participate in a home mouthrinsing program. Based on findings from Experiment 3, action instructions were used with all children for increasing the return of signed parental consent forms. Two contingent reward conditions are being investigated: (1) small immediate rewards every two weeks plus a bonus reward for optimal behavior throughout the current reward program (CR); (2) small immediate rewards initially every two weeks but with a progressively thinner schedule. In each reward condition, half the children received instruction in behavioral self-management techniques while the other half did not. The reward procedures are discontinued after 14 weeks, while the children's participation will be monitored for a total of 40 weeks. As in the earlier experiments, analyses will be made of (1) experimental effects on acceptance of recommended procedures; and (2) demographic and attitudinal characteristics of children who accept or do not accept the procedures.